Animal-racing apparatus



June 26, 1928. 1,674,75O

A. s. VALENTINE ANIMAL RACING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 1927 tamamALREDSWLNTM/ %gm s &Hec/na a Patented June 2 33, 1928. I

unrrno AIFB-EDS. VALENTINE, OF BEOOKLYN, NEW YORK.

r V emnat-anonte Anri-meros.

Application filed January 7, 1927. Serial Ne. 159.582.

This invention relates to animal racing apmiratus and more particularlyto the ,appa ratus employcd 'to 'acilitate the racing ot' do s on a.race course where they pursue an artificial hire, preterahly in the formof a .rabbit. i

The principal ol'ject oi this invention is to provide means wherehy' themechanical rabbit or other `form of lure employed may pass through anobstruction placed across the race track at one or more points. Suchobstructions mayinclude onejor more hurdles over which the dogs areforced to leap or? may consist only ol? a gatepositioned bevond thefinshline ot the race track to? etlect the escape or disappearance ofthe lure 'ronrthe dogs and to oti'er a solid barrier to the dogsin orderto induce them to run oli' the race track, as shown inthe accompanyingdrawing.

Further objects ot the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription from which my iinvention will be fully understood when takenin connection With the acconpanying drawing and the scope of theinvention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. `l5,9l0, filed December 10,1926, I have shown one means of eli'ecting the escape of the lure andthe present application describes :mother form ott gate or .otherobstruction provided with an opening therein covered by flexiblematerial through which the lure may readily pass.

l'n the drawing illustrating a preferred form ot my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gate or other obstruction emhodying myinvention and adapted to be placed across the race track;

Fig.` 2 is a plan View thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation showing one 'form of fiexiblecovering tor the opening in the obstruction.

In the drawing the uume 'al l indicates an obstruction such as a gatcadapted to lead the dogso'tiz' the race track as describedin theapplication above inentioned, or it may be used as a hurdle over which,the dogs are forced to leap. The obstruction 1, heroinafter referred tofor convenience only as the gate, may be and preterably is hinged to apost 2 set in the ground adjacent the outer edge of the race track. y

The lower portion of the gate l adjacent the inner edge of the racetrack is recessed as shown at 3. This recess is so positioned Withrespect to the race track and is ot such shape that the lure support 4and the lure 5 carried thereon may readily pass therethiough/ y The luremay be and prefe 'ably is driven by means such as disclosed in my saidpror application or it may 'be carried around the track in any othersuitable or preterred way. i

To prevent the dogs :froni 'following the lure through the opening 3,the opening is covered by sheets ot' flexible materiah& These sheets mayhe made ot leather, canvas, paper, ganze orother flexible material. Inthe preferred 'form shown in Figl, the sheets are tastened by nailsorother means to the gate" 1 as shown. Another inanner of fastening thesheets'oi fiexible material in place is illustrated in Fig. 3.

In ordexto prevent damagebeing done to the lure 5 while it is passing`through the opening' 3 a projection 7 is ineferably tas tened to thelure carrying arm 41- and may be of the form shown in order to displacethe sheets of flexible material covering` the opening 3 without allmvingthen to come into contact with the head ot the lure.

Having thus described this form ot my invention, Ido not wish to beunderstood as being limited to the details of form and arrangement ofthe parts set for-th, for various changes may he made by those skilledin the art without departing 'from the spirit .and scope of myinvention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: i

1. In animal racing apparatus, comprising a race track or course and amechanically driven lure, in combination with an obstruction adapted tobe placed across said race track and having an opening therein throughwhich the lure may pass, fiexible means covering said opening andadapted to be deflected by the passing ot said lure. i

2. In animal racing apparatus, comprising a race track or course and ainechanically driven lui-e, in comhination with an obstruction adaptedto be placed across said race track and having an opening thereinthrough which the lure may pass, flexilole means adapted to cover saidopening secured to said obstruction adjacent the` edges of said openingand adapted to be defiected hy the passing of said lure.

3. In animal racing apparatus, comprising i arace track or course' and anechanically 'driven 1ure,vin combnaton With an obstruc ton adapted tobeplaced' across said race track and having an opening therelnthroughWhch the lure may pass, sheets of fiexble material adapted to cover saidopenngse cured to said obstruction adjacent the edges of said' openingand adapted to be deflected hy the passing of said lure through saidopening'. v i 4 r 41-. i In animal racing apparatus, comprisng a racetrack 'or course and a nechanically` driven lure, in combnation With avertically hnged `obstruction adapted to be placed' across sad racetrack and havng anjopening therein through which the lure may pass;

flexible means adapted to coversaid opening and adapted to be .defiected`by the i passing of, said lure through sald opening.

In animal racing apparatus,comprising a race track or course, amechancally drven support and a lure carred thereon,-1n' Coin-` bnationWith an obstruction adapted to he placed across sa ld race track andhaving an opening therein through -Which the support and lute' may pass;fiexble means adapted 'to cover said openngsecured to said obstrucp tionadjacent the edges of said opening and projecting means carred 'by sad`support adapted to dsplace said flexble means during the: passing ofsaid lure through said opening. i i

` 6 'In animal'racing apparatus, conprising a `'race track or course, amechamcaliy drlven support and alure carried thereon, n comhination Withan obstruction adapted to be placed across said race track having anopen` ing therein' through which the support and lure may pass, sheet's*of fiexble material adapted to cover said opening Secured to saidobstruction adjacent the edges of said open 4 ing and adapted to permitthe support and' the lure to `pass through said opening and meanscarriedhy said support adapted to displace said sheets' during the,passing of saidilure 'through said opening. i

7 I n "animal racing apparatus, comprisng a race track or course, ;anechanically driven support and a `lure carred thereon, in com-` theedges said opening and` adapted' to a -pernt the support and* the lureto pass through said opening, and means carred `by said supportadaptedto dsplace said sheets during the passing of'said' lure through'said opening. v a g gnedt r t d y f Ja u y, 927-. a

